Courtney B.

Tacoma Center YMCA

As a recent sociology graduate from a small college in New York, Courtney plugged into AmeriCorps without really knowing what she wanted to do, other than help people. Her eight-week AmeriCorps assignment brought her to Tacoma to work with Pierce Conversation. The program required her to do 45 minutes of physical training every day, and that's when she joined the Y.

"Our YMCA in New York was great, but it was not until I came to the Pacific Northwest and learned about how many programs the Y supports to better their own neighborhoods, such as Teen Late Nite, free memberships for foster kids, and your drowning prevention program, that my eyes were opened," said Courtney. "The Y does so much - and it aligns with the work we do so closely."

Someday soon, Courtney wants to work with youth in the YMCA. "My encouragement to anyone trying to figure out their calling is to get involved, never give up," said Courtney. "It always gets better!"